A Fateful Awakening
by Jenn Lynne
Summary: On Hold for now: James Potter, kept alive deep inside the ministry of magic though thought to be brain dead awakens.
1. Mostly Dead

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters therein contained. I do, however, own the plot line of this story and any original characters herein contained.

Author's Note: No Slash, I actually don't think there will be any romance in this either, that's something new for me. This is my second Harry Potter fanfic, I really like where my first is going but no one seems to have read it ::pouts:: Anyway, read and review!

A Fateful Awakening

Chapter One: Mostly Dead

Pale blue eyes opened very slowly to the dim light of a room that refused to focus. A stinging sensation flowed through his eyes, an ache in his head, testifying to years of being unused. He painfully closed his eyes again and attempted to move his hand through his hair. The pain spread through his arm the moment he attempted to move the muscle, a searing pain that enveloped the skin and made him utter a low groan. With the groan his throat constricted tightly, an agonizing ache that led him to try to open his eyes again in shock. He thought better of that at the last moment. He refused to allow himself to get caught up enough to start the cycle over again. He took a deep breath, the only act that seemed to ease rather than upset whatever condition he was in.

He tried to think of how he had gotten there but drew a blank, an empty space in his memory that left him somewhat drained just attempting to remember. He wanted to cry out in frustration but couldn't. The last thing he remembered was early morning on Halloween, he had just entered the living room of his home to find his one year old son laying on a blanket attempting to crawl while making burbling noises. He remembered scooping the baby up into his arms and laughing with the child as he walked into the kitchen where his wife was preparing breakfast. His son pointed at a jack o' lantern, which sat on the table, and squealed with delight. That's all he could remember. And then the rest came, as suddenly as if a floodgate had been opened. Voldemort had attacked.

Footsteps reverberated off the walls of the room he was in. He shifted his head with great discomfort to hear it better. He uttered another agonizing moan. The footsteps became hurried and approached him quickly. He forced his eyes open, ignoring the pain it caused. A blurry face looked down at him. He could tell it was a woman with dark hair but that was it, it was too fuzzy to determine who exactly stood there. She uttered words of amazement before finally calming down.

"You're awake." She said in a whisper.

"Where…" his voice died off as the ache in his throat cut off his ability to speak.

"You're inside the main building of the Ministry of Magic's headquarters." She said nervously.

"No, where's Lily, a-a-and Harry?" At his remark he noticed her take in a swift breath as if stung and reply in a shaky voice.

"Mr. Potter I'm going to go get someone to help you." She tentatively and nervously patted him on the shoulder before turning and leaving.

*************

Harry Potter, the boy who lived, exited the Great Hall after breakfast alone. A night of walking around the school under his invisibility cloak had left Ron and Hermione to tired to get up that morning. Thankfully, it was Saturday and they didn't have to be up for classes. Harry was now sixteen years old, in his sixth year at Hogwarts. The previous year had gone by with little of the usual strange occurrences that surrounded the teenager. There had been very little activity from Voldemort all year and all summer. It was somewhat disconcerting, to have the Dark Lord biding his time, but by the end of the year they had decided to enjoy the time they had in peace.

Harry saw a familiar face enter through the large doors before him. He inwardly grimaced at the Minister of Magic. He was not fond of Cornelius Fudge, nor did he respect the man.

Fudge saw him after closing the door behind him and was so startled that he stammered a moment. Harry raised both eyebrows in surprise at the flustered man.

"Hello Harry." He said with a great deal of uncertainty.

"Hello Minister, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Harry said quizzically back.

"Oh, Ministry business, nothing to worry about. Is Professor Dumbledore in his office?" He asked, quickly dismissing his question.

"No, he's in the Great Hall." Fudge was walking quickly toward the hall as fast as he could as soon as the words left Harry's mouth. "Strange…" Harry said quietly as he continued on his way back to Gryffindor Tower.

****************

Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Albus Dumbledore, entered his office followed by a nervous looking Minister of Magic. Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk, carefully taking his time to calm the other man's nerves. He slowly got himself comfortable and looked at the other man with a curious expression dancing in his light blue eyes.

"Well, Mr. Fudge what brings you to Hogwarts?" Dumbledore began when it didn't look like Fudge was going to.

"I think I may have made a mistake." His said, his voice quavering.

"I see," Dumbledore considered the man closely. "and what mistake was that?"

"I toyed with a life." He said with a tinge of something, not really remorse, more like regret and fear.

"I don't think I quite understand?" Dumbledore said patiently back.

"James Potter's alive."

Dumbledore looked sharply at the Minister of Magic. Unable to move or breathe, he simply stared at the younger man in complete shock.

"Fifteen years ago when you-know-who attacked the Potters, James did not die. I mean, not really." He shook his head clearing away clouds.

"How can someone not really be dead Mr. Fudge?" Dumbledore said, not quite as composed as he would have liked.

"He was brain dead. He would have died had we not made a point of keeping his heart beating. We didn't conceive of the possibility that he wasn't really brain dead, I mean the test must have been done wrong…" Fudge faded as Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.

"Wait, why, if you thought James Potter was brain dead, would you keep him alive?" He said in a tone that was bordering on panic.

"We wanted to utilize the magical energy inside him to power the wards around the Ministry. He was brain dead, an empty shell, we weren't hurting anything or anyone by keeping him alive but… but he woke up." Fudge could no longer keep eye contact with Professor Dumbledore, he deliberately looked away.

"He woke up?" Dumbledore said in a deathly quiet tone.

"I couldn't even talk to him. I took one look at him and imagined a man with a fifteen year long nightmare about the deaths of his wife and son and couldn't tell him that it was half true. That's why I'm here, I thought it would be better for him if he learned the truth from a friend."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, "You didn't considered what would be best for him, you thought of what was best for you. He should have been told the moment he woke up. How long has he been awake?"

"Four days." Fudge said in a submissive tone.

"Four days!" Dumbledore bellowed, "What has he been doing for four days? Asking questions you refused to answer?"

"Not all that much, all him muscles have atrophied, he could barely speak." Fudge responded in a slightly louder tone.

"And you thought that made everything alright?" Dumbledore stood at this, striding purposefully toward the door.

"Where-where are you going?" Fudge said as he too stood.

"I'm getting Madame Pomfrey and going to talk to James. I want you out of my school before I get back." As he said this he opened the door and walked out through it.

******************

The room was dark, windowless, and the torches that lined the walls did little to spread light through the room. The room was cold, in both appearance and actual temperature, with stone walls and floor and a single metal framed bed in its center. Dumbledore felt his eyes mist as he looked down at the occupant of that bed. Ink black hair spilled out over the stark white pillow, eyes closed tightly as if in pain and thin drawn frown.

"James?" he breathed very softly.

The person in the bed stirred, face tightening in pain as he attempted to move. "Who?" he voice was harsh from not being used.

"It's Albus Dumbledore, James. I'm… I'm here with Madame Pomfrey. We are going to help you." Dumbledore said as he took a step closer to the bed, close enough to touch its occupant.

James visibly relaxed. Madame Pomfrey moved around Professor Dumbledore to James. Dumbledore watched in silence as she worked. She touched the muscles of his body with the tip of her wand and spoke softly, an incantation. She walked to his face, touching his throat and saying a different incantation than the last. Then she moved to his eyes, she took a deep breath before waving her wand over them and saying something new. His eyes opened slowly almost the instant the incantation was done, his brow furrowed for a moment before he lifted his hand to where a bedside table would have been. Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pompfry where both confused for a moment, then Dumbledore remembered what had been handed to him when he entered and he pulled the round framed glasses from his pocket and put them gentle in James' hand.

"Thank you." He said, voice now clear, but still somewhat groggy. As his vision cleared he looked up into Dumbledore's eyes.

"Madame Pomfrey will you please wait outside." Dumbledore said without breaking eye contact. She turned and left the room without a word spoken, in some sort of daze.

"What happened Professor? Did he get them?" James asked as soon as the door was shut behind the nurse. He sat up in his bed and looked earnestly at his former professor.

"James," he took a deep breath, "a lot has happened since that night." He broke eye contact for the first time and sat on the edge of the bed near James' feet. "On October 31, 1981 Lord Voldemort broke into your house and, we thought, killed you. We know that after you he moved to the upstairs bedroom where Lily was trying to protect Harry." Dumbledore stopped when he looked back at James. The young man had tears in his eyes already, anticipating what would come next. "When Lily sacrificed her life to protect Harry it left a mark on him, one that not even Voldemort predicted, so when he used the killing curse on your son it, sort of, bounced off and hit him instead. Harry lived, a livid lightening shaped scar on his forehead, the curse having hit Voldemort. However, there wasn't really enough human left in Voldemort to die, so he lived on, without a body, and bided his time until he could arise again." A few tears fell down James' cheeks but he made no move to hinder them.

"So, Harry's alive?" he said a note of hope in his eyes and voice.

Dumbledore smiled reassuringly, "Unless something has happened since I saw him at breakfast this morning, yes he's alive."

James looked thoroughly relieved by this, but also confused, "At breakfast?"

"Ah," Dumbledore said, somewhat nervous again, "James you have been asleep for over fifteen years. It is now 1996 and Harry is a student at Hogwarts."

James eyes widened in surprise, "You mean my little baby boy is sixteen years old."

It wasn't a question, but Dumbledore nodded anyway. "Harry thinks you're dead, we all thought you were dead. I only found out after breakfast today that the Ministry was keeping you alive. I'm not sure how Harry will take the news. Though I know him to be very strong in character, so I don't perceive a big problem."

James looked confused again, or perhaps merely curious, "What's he like? I can only imagine what being raised by a troublemaker like Padfoot would do to a child." James laughed at the joke, but sobered when Dumbledore didn't.

Dumbledore had the urge to look away but kept eye contact through sheer willpower. "No one knew that you switched secret keepers. They thought Sirius betrayed you, and then Peter faked his own death, taking the lives of twelve muggles, and framed Sirius. Mr. Black spent twelve years in Azkaban prison before escaping."

James didn't speak. His eyes had darkened and he looked ready to explode, or cry, Dumbledore couldn't tell. "So, who raised Harry?"

Dumbledore was afraid to answer, "His Aunt and Uncle."

James looked horrified, "THE DURSLEY'S!" he yelled. He seemed to loose what strength he had, falling back onto the pillows and closing his eyes tightly as tears pushed there way through the closed lids.

"Listen James, I can't leave my school unattended for any longer than I already have. With Voldemort in power and after Harry's life, I need to be close. I'm leaving now. I'm going to tell Harry you're alive, then I'll tell Sirius and Remus. Though Remus will have to take great pains in keeping Sirius from breaking in here to see you, they need to know." James nodded numbly as Dumbledore stood. He turned from the bed and headed for the door. "I'll see if I can't have you transferred to Hogwarts, it's safer for you there and you'll be able to see Harry."

"Dumbledore?" he turned back to look at James. "Thank you."

He smiled softly as he continued out the door.

****************

"So how did he find out?" Ron asked Harry as they walked by the lake with Hermione after lunch.

"It slipped." Harry said as he blushed, still looking at the letter in his hands.

"How could you let it slip to your exceedingly overprotective godfather that the three of us have all become Animagi?" Hermione added indignantly.

Harry turned, shrugging his shoulders, "I guess I, kind of, forgot that he didn't already know." He stopped at the lake's edge and sat on the grass looking out over the cool water. He remembered in his third year when he had been on the ground, only a short ways from where he now sat, surrounded by Dementors, thinking he saw his father conger a stag Patronus from the other side. He remembered how he had waited, after using the time turner, for his father to appear again to save him and Sirius. Then realizing that he had only seen himself on the other side, it was disappointing, but oddly amusing, as everyone continued to tell him how much he looked like his father and then he had to admit the same.

"Harry, are you listening?" Ron said as he sat to Harry's right, bringing him back to the present.

"I'm sorry Ron, what was that?" Harry said, embarrassed at being caught not paying attention.

"Where were you just them Harry?" Hermione asked thoughtfully as she sat on his other side.

"I was thinking about our third year, when I thought I saw my dad on the other side of the lake."

They were both quiet, having stumbled into a subject they did not want to stumble into again, they tried to change the subject. "Anyway," Hermione went on, as though ignoring his words, "you should have been more careful. I mean _have_ done something illegal."

"Harry." A voice said his name from behind and they all jumped. Harry stood and looked at the unusually pale face of the Headmaster, who had just startled him, with curiosity.

"Yes Professor?" Harry said, pretending that Dumbledore hadn't just overheard something he shouldn't have, but looking very guilty at the same time.

"Don't worry Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, I have known about your exploits into the world of the Animagus for some time. Harry will you please join me for a walk, I need to talk to you about something very important." He smiled reassuringly at them, but Harry could tell that the smile was forced.

He moved to walk next to Dumbledore, shooting a glance behind him at Ron and Hermione who looked both relieved and confused. Dumbledore began to walk away, further from the school, and Harry followed beside him.

After they were out of earshot of all those around them, Dumbledore spoke. "So what animals have you three become, if you don't mind my asking?"

Harry would have smiled at this, but the undertone in Dumbledore's voice told him he was stalling. "I become a stag, like father like son I guess, Ron becomes a fox and Hermione becomes a hawk. But if you don't mind me asking, Professor, why are you stalling?"

Dumbledore smiled almost wistfully, but a moment later that smile had faded. "A very good thing has come to my attention Harry. Very good indeed, but with bad circumstances." He sighed. "I'm going to be blunt with this Harry, I don't want to string you along. Your father, James Potter, is alive."

Harry stopped dead in his tracts. He looked at Dumbledore with an expression of mixed confusion, fear and hope a startling contradiction that made Dumbledore regret his bluntness.

Harry outstretched his hands as his mind went fuzzy, looking for something stable to keep himself standing. Dumbledore immediately reached out his hands to steady him but to no avail, Harry pulled away as though burned, slumping onto the cool grass with a thud and looking back up at Dumbledore with eyes that showed nothing but anger and confusion, the other emotions gone.

"How could you?" he said in a soft, yet demanding tone.

Dumbledore was confused for a moment, but then realized what the sixteen year old meant and quickly rebutted. "This is no joke Harry. I found out this morning from the Minister of Magic himself. They have been keeping James alive all these years under the pretence that he was brain dead. They never imagined that he would wake up."

Harry looked away again, the anger gone from his demeanor, all that was left was confusion. "Why? Why keep him alive if they thought he was brain dead?"

"They were using his magical energy to power the wards that protect the Ministry headquarters." 

Anger flashed again in Harry's eyes again and he directed his gaze at his Headmaster. "You found out this morning, I saw Fudge enter the school looking for you. Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Because I thought James needed to know that you were alive first. Fudge hadn't told him anything, almost refusing to answer his questions. He had been awake for four days and no one would talk to him about his wife and son. I thought you'd agree that that was cruel and he deserved to know the truth as soon as possible." Dumbledore said this part in a way that pointed blame solely on the Ministry, not on Harry for not seeing immediately from his perspective.

Harry's eyes softened again, and tears obstructed his vision. He tried to blink them away but a few fell down his cheeks. Those that fell he ignored, looking up at Dumbledore with hope filled eyes. "So, my dad's alive."

It wasn't really a question, but Harry seemed to need to be reassured of the truth. "Yes Harry, your dad is alive."

(A/N: please review!)


	2. Coming to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters therein contained. Yup, don't sue.

~Did you know, that according to my Thesaurus "Disclaimer" and "Surrender" are interchangeable. Just food for thought.~

Author's Note: I was SO happy when I signed online a day after I posted chapter one to find 18 some odd reviews. Thank everyone SO much. It really means something that you said something to me. I wasn't going to post this chapter until chapter 3 was completely written, but I just can't help my self. Therefore, this chapter is dedicated to my first 18 reviewers for this story. Thank you guys!

A Fateful Awakening

Chapter Two: Coming to Hogwarts

"What do you mean, 'You don't think that's wise'" Dumbledore raised his voice to the face of the Minister of Magic that floated in his fireplace.

"Well, it might be stressful for him to stay at Hogwarts-"

"Stressful! Are you mad? James needs to be in a familiar setting. He needs to be near people who care about him. Stop thinking about yourself and your stupid reputation, I will keep him well hidden until the information of his life is released to the public." Dumbledore sat back in his chair and watched as Fudge's face showed that he had conceded. He had written to Sirius and Remus and enchanted and owl to get the letter to them at top speed. Harry had taken the news well, and ended up with a goofy grin spread across his face as he rejoined his friends to tell them he was no longer an orphan. And now James would be transferred to Hogwarts. Everything was going well.

Fudge nodded. "Alright Albus, but I will not permit him to apparate to Hogsmeade, he's not strong enough. I will get a portkey that will take him to the train station there, have someone waiting from him, preferably someone who needs to know about this, maybe even Madame Pomfrey who already knows."

"When?" Dumbledore said immediately after. "The sooner the better. Is there a possibility of getting him here before dinner?" that was asking a bit much, Dumbledore concede in his mind, dinner was in less than an hour.

"I'll see what I can do, and I'll contact you." Fudge said with an expression of indigence.

"Be sure to contact me at least thirty minutes prior to the portkey's activation so that I can get someone down there and he doesn't have to wait." Fudge nodded and a popping sound was heard, confirming that the connection was now broken.

***************

Dinner was being served only moments after Professor McGonagall left to pick James up at Hogsmeade station. Dumbledore looked over toward the Gryffindor house table to find Harry sitting with his usual friends. Each wore an expression of disgust, Dumbledore assumed they were still talking about the ministry's idiocy, or more specifically Fudge's. Every once and a while Harry would seem to faze out of the conversation and end up smiling widely to himself. This made Dumbledore feel warm inside, he knew that Harry would be very happy with James as his father.

Dumbledore was halfway done with his food when Professor McGonagall appeared in the doorway to the Great Hall. She was pointing out Harry to the hooded figure bedside her and she was smiling widely. Dumbledore stood and walked toward them, his own smile on his face. He paused at Harry's table and leaned in over Ron's shoulder to speak so that the three could hear.

"Harry, come to my office after dinner, but don't let anyone see you go. If you have to, use the invisibility cloak, but he'll be up there and I'll be telling him everything that's happened since you got here." Harry's smile widened as he nodded in understanding. Dumbledore began to walk again, but turned back a moment to see the three teenagers talking animatedly. He turned back again and continued to the door.

As he passed through it the cloaked figure moved to walk beside him as McGonagall continued into the hall for some food. "What did you say to him that made him smile like that?" James said from under the hood without glancing in his direction.

"I told him to sneak to my office after dinner and that you were here. He is very exited to meet you. I don't think he smiled that much when Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup for the first time." Dumbledore said with a smile.

James was visibly pleased, actually ecstatic would be a more appropriate description. "He plays Quidditch?"

"Seeker, just like you." As Dumbledore said this he reached the Gargoyle that led to his office. "Oh, no." he said after a moment.

"I don't believe that was the correct password Professor." James said, confused.

Dumbledore laughed. "Strawberry pops." The Gargoyle jumped aside to allow them entry. "No I forgot to tell Harry the password. I'll just send a house elf to tell him."

As he opened the door to his office he stopped short in shock and quickly took a step back to block James from view. Two cloaked figures were in his office. One was pacing the floor nervously while the other sat rigidly in a chair. They both looked at him in the doorway, missing the cloaked figure behind him, and removed their hoods.

Remus Lupin sat rigidly in the chair and Sirius Black had been pacing. "We came as soon as we got your letter…" Remus began but faded as he noticed the light blue eyes peeking out from around Dumbledore's shoulder.

"James?" Sirius said, noticing him too.

"Padfoot! Moony!" James yelled as he ran passed Dumbledore into the office. Remus immediately stood as James ran to where he sat, being closer than Sirius, and hugged him tightly. When he released Remus he looked at Sirius. Sirius was frozen to the ground on which he stood, his hair was shot and black, his eyes the same pale blue they had been in school, only with sadness behind them. James furrowed his brow in confusion. The sadness looked like something permanent, something that had been embedded behind his eyes, he was startled by it and inwardly growled knowing its source… Azkaban.

James took a step toward him. Sirius looked like he wanted to run away, like a cornered animal that had been abused therefore no longer trusted an old friend. This startled James so much that he froze. They stood there for a moment, transfixed in each other's gaze and saying nothing. Suddenly Sirius demeanor faltered, tears welled in his eyes and he took a few uneasy steps toward his old friend. James smiled reassuring and stepped forward also, encasing his friend in a brotherly hug.

"Prongs." Sirius said, not a question, but a statement. After a moment the two stepped back and looked at the smiling faces of Dumbledore and Remus. Remus turned to Dumbledore.

"We came as soon as your letter reached us, but it said nothing about him coming here. What a shock! Though not an unpleasant one." He said with a smile.

"Glad to know I'm welcome Moony." James said smiling.

They all laughed lightly at this. "Dumbledore?" Sirius said after a moment, "You didn't really elaborate on how Harry took all this, does he know James is here?"

"I informed Harry about that very thing only moments ago. I figured he could finish dinner while I sat down with James and told him about his son's _adventures_ since his first year." Dumbledore said with a slight grimace.

Remus laughed nervously, "That will be quite a long tail, Harry will be here before you reach the part about Sirius."

No one laughed at this, which made James nervous, but when Dumbledore moved around his desk to sit he decided to make himself comfortable as well. He sat on one of the large chairs. Sirius sat on his right and Remus on his left, closest to the door.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Now, where to begin…"

*****************

Harry, Ron and Hermione waited impatiently for the occupants of the Great Hall to filter out. For some reason, the feast had gone on longer than it normally did that night. It was probably because it was Saturday and no one had to get up in the morning, but never the less, it lasted uncomfortably longer than usual. They nibbled at their dessert, trying to look as though they weren't stalling, then waited a full minute, a minute never having lasted so long to Harry, after the last person left to leave themselves.

"Harry Potter." A voice called from behind him, the voice was quiet, like a child's. He turned to see a house elf approach him, but Harry didn't recognize this elf. "I is told to tell yous that the password is Strawberry Pops."

"Thank you." Harry said with a full grin, not able to hide any of his excitement. The three continued out of the Hall at a brisk pace, headed in the direction of the Headmaster's office. 

They all stopped in front of the stone Gargoyle. "Well, this is it Harry, good luck."

"He's not going to play Quidditch Ron, he's going to see his father. You don't say 'Good Luck' you say have fun." Hermione corrected. Ron looked at her and shook his head.

Harry just smiled at them both, "Thank you both. I'm really quite excited."

They all smiled and waved a brisk goodbye as Ron and Hermione headed for Gryffindor Tower. Harry turned to the Gargoyle, took a deep breath and parted his lips.

"'Arry!" Hagrid's voice boomed from down the hall. A tinge of fear mixed with a note of distress. Harry immediately turned, as did Ron and Hermione who weren't far away.

"What's wrong Hagrid?" Harry yelled. Hagrid stood at the opposite end of the hall, gasping for breath and looking as ragged as Harry had ever seen him.

"'Arry come quick! I need yer help wif somein'" Hagrid said as he turned and headed toward the door that lead outside.

Harry looked quickly over his shoulder at Ron and Hermione, there faces were mixtures of confusion and fear, but with determination. Harry nodded swiftly, looked quickly at the gargoyle, then headed at a run after Hagrid. Ron followed shortly behind but Hermione held back, running instead to the stone gargoyle.

"Strawberry Pops!" she yelled impatiently to the stone beast and it jumped out of the way. She moved into the hall and headed toward Dumbledore's office. 

She burst through the door to Dumbledore's office without knocking. She stumble in conviction a moment when not only Dumbledore and James' eyes focus on her, but the eyes of Sirius and Remus as well.

"Professor," she said addressing Dumbledore only, "Something's wrong, Hagrid just ran in here yelling for Harry to come help him and-"

"But Hermione" Dumbledore's voice had an edge of bewilderment, "Hagrid left early this morning to help a friend with an infestation of some kind. I spoke to him just before dinner and he said he be there all tomorrow as well."

"Than, who's outside with Harry?" Remus asked in a shaking voice.

Hermione turned again and burst back out through the door, a large black dog followed at her heels, barking in irritation the whole time. Behind the large dog was James, Remus and Dumbledore. Once they reached the hall, Sirius, in dog form, took off at a run for the door. To James' amazement, the sixteen year old girl, who had told them about Harry, transfigured herself into a large brown hawk and quickly passed Sirius and headed for the door. Deciding that was a good course of action, James turned into a large light brown stag with light blue eyes. He headed down the hall as fast as his hooves could travel and bounded over the steps and onto the lawn. The grass was much easier to run on than the stone floor inside the building, but it was just about then that he realized he had no idea where to go. He stopped dead in his tracks and strained the advanced hearing of his stag form. He heard a young man's yell and ran in that direction.

He heard that girls voice again. "Ron, where's Harry?" as he approached the lake he saw a young man with bright red hair, even clear in the dim light the moon allotted, standing with the girl and Sirius.

"Why'd he yell." James gasped for air as he transfigured back into a human. The red headed boy stared at him oddly.

"Sirius decided to pounce on him." The girl explained quickly, "Where's Harry?" she said again to Ron, this time in a more demanding tone.

"Hagrid said something was wrong with the centaurs and since they knew Harry and not me I should stay out of it. So they went to go check it out." He said in a confused tone.

"Ron that was not Hagrid!" Sirius yelled in a desperate tone as he turned quickly and ready himself for a run into the forbidden forest.

"No, Sirius stop." Dumbledore's voice said firmly but quietly, as though defeated. He appeared, with Remus at his side, just behind James' right shoulder. He placed a reassuring hand on James' shoulder and continued. "It is far to dangerous, and by now, whoever that man is, has Harry deep within those woods. If he's going to get out of this, I'm afraid he'll have to do it himself." There was a note of finality in Dumbledore's words that left no room for argument, though they all seemed to want to. James' looked pleadingly at the trees of the forbidden forest.

"No." he whispered so softly it was barely audible, "Harry, no!" he yelled as tears filled his eyes.

"James," Dumbledore said from his side, "Harry is a very powerful and capable wizard. I'm sure he will figure out that he's not with Hagrid before it's too late."

*****************

"So where are they Hagrid?" Harry asked as he looked up at Hagrid's frightened looking face. Something was wrong, but Harry didn't think it had much to do with centaurs, but he was determined to find out what that was. Hagrid wasn't himself; why would he ask for his help instead of another teacher? Then it dawned on him, the sweating, fidgeting, nervous glances, not only was this not Hagrid beside him, but it was Peter Pettigrew himself.

Harry stopped dead in his tracks at that realization. Obviously Peter had acquired some polyjuice potion and was luring him into a trap, but in Hagrid's body he was quite the formidable opponent, Harry Potter or not.

Peter turned to him with a confused expression. "Whit's wrong 'Arry?"

Now that Harry knew the truth he had no trouble telling that the accent was forced, and quite unlike Hagrid's usual tone.

Harry made a split second choice and turned and ran. He didn't look back, but he heard the heavy footsteps of the half giant as he followed. Harry felt a large, heavy fist connect with his back and he cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.

(A/N: **THANK ALL OF YOU** _so much _for taking the time to review!

I can't believe how many people commented on my story being unique or original. I swear I read all those reviews this morning before school and cried. Thank you guys so much.

Ash… What a great name. Are you a fan of the 'Evil Dead' movies by any chance? I am. But anyway. I did actually think of a lot of different animals to make Harry but none fit my plot line as well as the over-used stag. I needed something that could run very fast, was tall and powerful, but not a predator. I actually considered making him turn into a horse, or even a unicorn, but thought better of it. I'm sorry you don't like my choice, but it was made a LONG time ago, when this story was still stuck in the far of reaches of my brain where few things ever manage to escape. But thank you SO much for reviewing.

****

Review Please!))


	3. Meeting a Son

Disclaimer: I don't own it!

Author's Note: I love everyone who reviewed. You guys made me so happy. AGAIN! I don't really understand my obsession with reviews, maybe it's some sort of need to feel accepted. Anyway, I loved the reviews and hope you like the chapter. I wrote it with a great amount of enthusiasm, but unfortunately it's a little shorter than I had wanted. But I really wanted to end it where I did, so oh well.

A Fateful Awakening

Chapter 3: Meeting a Son

He opened his eyes and a searing pain erupted through his entire back. A cut above his right eye was bleeding but the pain was only numbing, it didn't hinder his will to escape. As he heard the heavy footsteps approach he decided he had no other choice. He transfigured into a stag, light brown with bright green eyes and a small lightning scar on his forehead. He had a small stream of blood flowing from a fresh wound above his right eye. He reared up on the man behind him. Peter stepped back in udder bewilderment as Harry thrust his antlers in his direction. For the short moment that he was distracted by the sudden assault, Harry turned on his back hooves and leapt through the trees with a graceful leap. As he landed hard on the ground he winced in pain but didn't stop.

He ran as fast as he could, using his experience in the forbidden forest, he traveled in a direction which looked vaguely familiar. Behind him the thudding of heavy feet reached his ears and he knew he was being pursued.

He dodged trees left and right, swerving as much as possible to slow his pursuer. He tripped on a root, stumbling forward and his right foreleg began to bleed at the knee. He didn't stop for long. He ran at top speed in an attempt to outrun his attacker. He saw something move to his left and glanced in that direction. Hoping it was someone who had come in the wood looking for him, having figured out the ruse of which he fell so easily for, he turned. As he approached to object he slowed, smiling inwardly. As he got closer he thought better of the idea, the creature was hunched on the ground and seemed to be examining something on the forest floor. It was a woman, of sorts, with long, ragged gray hair that stuck out worse than his ever did. He faltered and she looked up. The pail and dangerous brown eyes of the hag frightened him, they were murderous and evil and within the confines of her hand he saw a shiny silver liquid, which also surrounded her mouth. She had been drinking unicorn blood. He quickly took note of the fact that no dead unicorn was lying beside her and then changed direction again. She stood, a defensive stance with her fists balled.

Harry looked only ahead of him now, though he heard Peter sputter to a stop when he saw the hag, and then pick up his feet and begin the pursuit again. He ran deeper and deeper into the forbidden forest. Out of the corner of his eye something moved, it was black, that's all he knew. He didn't turn this time, just kept running.

**************

They all stood in silence, staring fixedly at the trees. Hermione shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "I'm going after him." She said suddenly with a determination that was very firm.

"Hermione-" Ron began but stopped as she turned to address them all.

"No one knows I can transfigure into a hawk, I'll fly in and find Harry and get him out, no matter what." She turned on her heel toward the forbidden forest.

"Miss. Granger-" Dumbledore began but to no avail, before the words even left his mouth she had leapt into the air, and on dusty brown wings, soared into the sky and out of sight.

****************

She scanned the ground below her with deadly accuracy. The eyes of a hawk were incredible and she searched for any sign of Harry. She almost stumbled in flight, if that were possible, when she spotted Hagrid chasing after a stag. Unfortunately they were going in the opposite direction they were supposed to, going deeper into the forest.

Hermione swooped down gracefully and skimmed the three line. She passed over Hagrid's head unnoticed, but when she reached Harry, she made a soft noise and his eyes darted to her. She immediately turned and headed for Hogwarts again. She heard a heavy rustle of leaves below her and a yelp. She looked down to see that Harry had turned, almost on the spot, and leapt clean around the giant. The man impersonating Hagrid had stumbled, but not fallen, and continued in his pursuit. She watched Harry below her as she flew, glancing up occasionally to be sure that she didn't hit any trees. Suddenly something jumped out of the trees beside Harry and tackled the stag to the ground. Hermione turned sharply in flight. It was a giant spider. Peter had also stopped. He looked on with something akin of both amusement and horror, as though he couldn't choose which he should feel. Hermione swooped down. She scratched the spider's eyes with her mighty claws and it released Harry. He jumped out from under it and took off. Hermione followed quickly after. No struggle was heard behind them, and when Hermione looked back the man impersonating Hagrid was on their trail again. Unfortunately, they were kind of far from Hogwarts, and what was worse is that Hermione could tell that something was wrong with Harry; his movements were forced and painful. She soared into his vision, leading the way to Hogwarts for him to follow.

****************

"I can't believe that was Hermione." Remus said again. He then turned to Ron, "How did the two of you corrupt her into being so defiant?"

Ron only smiled slightly at this, he knew what Remus was trying to do and appreciated it, but he really didn't want to become distracted. A rustling of leaves to his left caught his attention. He stared fixedly. He wasn't the only one to hear the noise. They looked at the Whomping Willow, it stood completely still as though it were a normal tree. A brown hawk appeared above it, flying at top speed. A moment later a great stag burst through the bushes beside the tree with a graceful leap. Ron inhaled quickly as the tree came to life and swung at the stag. 

"No, Harry!" Sirius cried, but it didn't matter, Harry skillfully dodged the branch and kept running. A great thudding was heard just before Hagrid appeared from the woods where Harry had just been, he ran out after the stag and was hit hard in the face by a branch from the tree.

He fell with a heavy thud that shook the ground. Not far away, Harry had stopped and turned around, still in stag form. James stared open mouthed at the stag. Except for the green eyes, from this distance no one would have been able to tell the difference between him as a stag and Harry. Harry was staring back, fixedly. Ron ran forward, as did Sirius and Remus. Hermione landed to Harry's right and transfigured back into a human. James took a few unsteady steps forward, never breaking eye contact.

A great yelp filled the air as the Hagrid impersonator awoke and looked around. He was standing now, with wand drawn, pointing it at James.

"J-J-J-James?" it stammered. Then its eyes turned dark and it readied itself to strike.

"_Expelliarmus_!" 

The curse was yelled so quickly and with so much force the large man was thrown back and fell unconscious. James turned quickly back to the group to see that it was Harry, in human form, who had attacked the large man. He stared at the boy, that looked so much like him, with all the love a father can possess for his son. Harry smiled weakly at him a moment, and then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Sirius caught him before he hit the ground and James ran forward.

"Remus," Dumbledore's calm voice was the only rational one amongst the roar that had ensued after Harry's collapse. "would you be so kind as to bind our friend over there and bring him to the castle while I conjure a stretcher for Harry?"

Remus got up and walked over the unconscious man, and Dumbledore stood. He conjured a stretcher for Harry and began to walk with it back to the castle. James walked next to Harry, not taking his eyes off the teenager the whole time. He remembered so vividly the baby he had held so tightly in his arms.

*****************

Harry slowly opened his emerald green eyes, fighting the heaviness of sleep, which struggled to overtake him again. He reached his hand out and felt for his glasses, finding them, he slid the metal frames onto his face. The cool metal slid on and spread a feeling of relief over him as the room came into focus and he recognized the hospital wing. It was morning; he couldn't tell whether it was the morning after or days later. His back ached as he slowly lifted his head to the window opposite him. He looked around, the room was empty, save him.

The silence grew deafening. He closed his eyes again and moments afterward, the door opened and three people entered engaged in heated conversation.

"Can you believe the impertinence of that man. I mean, the truth was staring him in the face and all he did was question us!" An unfamiliar voice said in aggravation. When Harry didn't recognize the voice he decided to lay still. Unsure of what he was about to overhear.

"Fudge has always been that way James, to much pride." The soft, calm voice of Remus Lupin said reassuringly to his angered friends.

"I don't call that pride, I call it 'pig headed'." Said James back.

By now Harry's eyes were wide open and staring. Taking in the face of his father with an almost reluctant hope. As though he would vanish at any moment and it would turn out that all of this was a dream.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Sirius asked with a smile. It was a calm, very pleasant smile, content was the first word that came to Harry's mind when his godfather looked at him. The other two sprang to attention at the words, and James stared at Harry, almost the same way Harry had done just moments before.

"Soundly, if not well. I have no idea how long I've been out." He said, smiling slightly at his godfather's unusual, but not unwelcome, change in demeanor. After the words left his mouth, he seemed to suddenly remember that his father was in the room. He locked gazes with James, and the two stared at each other once again.

"Well, Harry" Remus began with an enthusiastic smile. "You have been unconscious for a whole day."

Harry didn't seem to hear any of what Remus said, he simply stared. Remus furrowed his brow, confused. Sirius smiled knowingly, even reverently, and took Remus' arm. "Come along Moony, give the two some privacy."

A moment later, the two had left.

"Harry?" James said in a whisper, as though a loud noise would cause the boy to vanish.

Harry's eyes misted, "Dad?" His voice was no louder than James' had been.

James took three uneasy steps toward the bed. He was close now, close enough to lay a hand on his teenage son's shoulder. But he didn't know if he dared to go that far. The fear, that it had all been a dream and that touching his son would cause him to vanish, held his hand at bay. Harry didn't seem quite as reluctant, he reached his right hand up and touched James' hand, very softly. James looked down at Harry's hand for a moment. He silently took it into his own and tears began to stream, unchecked, down his face. A muffled and choked sob escaped James' throat as he threw himself to his knees beside his son. He laid his head on the edge of the bed and held Harry's hand tightly. Harry began to cry as well, but lifted his other hand to stroke his dad's ink black hair in a reassuring fashion. James' sobs increased in intensity as he tried to speak.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm so-"

"What!" Harry interrupted, he calmed himself enough so that he didn't sound angry, merely indignant. "Sorry for what? You did nothing wrong. You had no say in anything that happened to yourself and it was NOT your fault. Come on, you have filled my life with more joy in the last few days than I have ever felt in my life."

James' shining blue eyes looked up into Harry's a moment. His sobbing stopped completely and a shy sort of smile spread over his face. "You mean it?" he said in a whisper.

Harry smiled and nodded. A few more tears streaked down James' cheeks before he carefully hugged his son. He was very careful of the large bruise he had seen on the teenager's back and didn't wish to upset the wound.

"I love you Harry." James said as he hid his eyes in Harry's black hair.

"I love you too dad." Harry said, tears streaming down his face and soaking his father's robes. His brow furrowed a moment as he suddenly remembered something. He sat back suddenly.

"It wasn't Hagrid, it was Peter! What happened?" he burst out.

James smiled brightly in response.

((A/N: REVIEW! You guys really have no idea how much it takes for me to be able to write a chapter so quickly and get it out. I have school, driver's education, Prom committee, school Newspaper, Drama and Art Club, all starting up right now and I have an enormous amount of stress. But reviews make me SO happy that I can't read them and not want to write. So I hope you enjoyed this one, and I hope you review.))


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